Sizzling Gyu-Kaku Review: What’s so Hot About Japanese BBQ

Gyu-Kaku has definitely become a celebrity in Japanese Barbeque.
Coming a long way since its first grill in Japan, Gyu-Kaku has now left its mark in 700 locations worldwide, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada, New York, and California, just to name a few.

So what exactly makes people love Gyu-Kaku so much?

Well, no doubt, the barbequed meat is delicious, but it’s more of the experience that keeps drawing us in and coming back for more. There’s just something about grilling your own meat that we find amusingly fun. Strange, but true.

It gives us the self-satisfaction and accomplishment of cooking our own food, when in reality, all we really did was eat, the dream of every carnivore.

If you’re a newbie to the Gyu-Kaku experience, you’re definitely going to enjoy playing with your food.

Gyu-Kaku takes customer service seriously, with waiters literally giving you a full on tutorial of the grilling process before every meal, making first timers become an expert griller in no time. Once you start hearing the sizzle of the grill, feeling the heat of the fire, and smelling the rich aroma of roasted meat, you’ll understand why this popular BBQ franchise has such a long line of reservations everyday (Big Tip: Unless you love waiting, that reservation is definitely necessary!)

If you want to make the most of your dollar, definitely check out their Lunch Happy Hour, my favorite time to go. Their discounted cocktails, special lunch menu, and sweet deals on meat and side dishes definitely scores bonus points.

There’s going to be a lot to love on the menu, so maybe my list of Gyu-Kaku favorites can give you a few suggestions.

Favorite #1: Chicago Lunch Special- $10

Coming with a soup, salad, white rice, and a combination of three seasoned meats, this lunch set was created for those of you who want a taste of everything (which is probably the majority of us).

The soup’s none other than the traditional Japanese Miso. Although the miso’s a tad salty, its chewy seaweed and tasty huge chunks of tofu definitely makes up for it. Meanwhile, the fresh vegetable salad makes a good appetizer.

Of course it wouldn’t be Japanese BBQ without the meat, this set comes with Basil Chicken, New York Steak, and Bistro Steak. All three grilled to perfection, were delicious in their own way.

The Basil Chicken was infested with fresh garlic and grilling it to a medium rare, definitely brought out the natural sweetness of the white meat. Meanwhile, the New York Steak came in huge and thick juicy pieces of roasted goodness, with a lingering semi-sweet aftertaste. 

The third of the trio, is the Bistro Steak. Longer in length and thinly sliced, the taste was a fusion of roasted BBQ sauce and the luscious sweet taste of honey.

 Although they’re all mouthwatering, my love goes to the Toro Beef.

(The best part of Happy Hour is that all the meat are discounted, with some at $4 a plate, so order as many extras as your heart desires!)

This tender Toro beef is thinly sliced and slightly sweet. Its crispy crunchy sides when grilled, will make it especially hard to resist.

 Favorite #2: Garlic Noodles-$12

It’s a mystery to what makes this dish so addicting. It sounds simple enough, egg noodles stir fried in vegetables and garlic, but once you take a bite, you’ll find it difficult to stop eating.

Maybe it’s the soft chewy texture of the noodles, or maybe it’s the fresh aroma of the garlic and peppers. 

Whatever the magic may be, this complimentary noodle dish is a must have in the Gyu-Kaku experience.

Favorite #3: Chocolate Lava Cake- $6

Of course you must leave room for dessert!
This rich, succulent, lava cake will have you melting for it. Rich dark chocolate literally flowed out after every bite.

Combine that moist cake with creamy green tea ice cream, cookie crumbs, and hot fudge, and you’ll definitely be glad you left room for dessert.

Gyu-Kaku is certainly a supporter of a good dining experience and an enjoyable lifestyle, believing that the simple act of dining together is the foundation of building strong bonds. After seeing their long line of customers and the delicious dining experience I had, they certainly did not disappoint.

As their motto goes, “At Gyu-Kaku, your happiness is our pleasure.”

Oh Gyu Kaku, after eating your tasty juicy Toro beef, the pleasure is definitely all mine.

Grade: A
Gyu-Kaku
210 E. Ohio St.
312-266-8929

Happy Hour & Lunch Special:
Monday-Sunday, 11:30am- 3:00pm
Dinner: 3-6pm
Opened Daily until 9:30pm

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Wenna Pang

A writer and photographer who's in love with new experiences, visual art, and the written word. Born and raised in Chicago, I've also spent time living in New York City, Hong Kong, and traveled throughout various places. A travel enthusiast by heart, I love roaming new places and exploring the people & food that comes with it. As an avid story teller, I love sharing my discoveries, whether it be my latest travel experience or newest food adventure. I truly believe that food is the universal factor that connects all of us, no matter how different we may be in other ways, we cannot deny that there’s at least one thing that we love to eat and that one favorite food magically and unconditionally gives us comfort and pleasure. That feeling is one of the purest forms of happiness and I’d love to share that feeling through my work

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Summary

Reviewer

Wenna Pang

Review Date

2014-06-09

Reviewed Item

Gyu-Kaku Japanese Barbeque

Author Rating

5